1B Lee Orr finds success in third pro season

Lee Orr didn’t exactly turn heads during his first two seasons in the Padres system.

After being drafted in the 13th round out of McNeese State in 2011, Orr hit .219 with eight homers and 35 RBI with short-season Single-A Eugene. He also struck out 88 times in 210 at-bats – or once every 2.4 at-bats.

Last season, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound first baseman hit .211 with low Single-A Fort Wayne with 11 homers and 41 RBI in 79 games. He also struck out 112 times in 270 at-bats – or once every 2.4 at-bats.

So you’d almost figure that the 24-year-old Orr would continue to struggle this season as he advanced to high Single-A Lake Elsinore.

But at the moment Orr is second in the California League in slugging percentage (.636), third in batting average (.340) and sixth in on-base percentage (.408). He is 34-for-100 with eight doubles, three triples and five homers.

Why the difference this season?

“I’ve done a better job focusing on the mental side of the game,” says Orr. “I’ve tried hard not to let little slumps turn into big slumps. When I got into a slump the last two years, I’d try to get it all back at one time.”

Orr also tweaked his swing, slightly shortening his stride and getting his front foot down earlier.”

“It allows me to see the ball a little longer,” he said. “But the changes are small. I stuck with my approach. I put a lot of work in, though, on making all the small adjustments.”

But the results have been huge as the right-handed-hitting Orr becomes the latest low-profile Padres first base draft pick to advance.

Matt Clark, a 12th-round draft pick in 2008, is now playing in Japan. He hit .290 with 22 homers and 77 RBI for Triple-A Tucson last season.

And Nate Freiman, an eighth-round pick in 2009, is playing for the Oakland A’s this season. He hit .298 with 24 homers and 105 RBI for Double-A San Antonio last year before going to the Houston Astros as a Rule 5 draft pick. He moved to the A’s on waivers.

Around the farm:

Triple-A Tucson (13-17): Left fielder Travis Buck (.280, four homers, 23 RBI) hit the first inside-the-park homer ever for the T-Padres Sunday. Shortstop Dean Anna is batting .333 with four homers and 15 RBIs. Outfielder Dan Robertson is batting .322. Left-hander Robbie Erlin (3-0, 3.44 ERA) returned to Tucson in tine to allow two hits over five scoreless innings Sunday. Right-hander Tim Stauffer is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA over six starts.

Double-A San Antonio (15-15): First baseman Kalian Sams hit two homers in his Missions debut Sunday. Third baseman Jake Blackwood and outfielder Reymond Fuentes are both hitting .310 and outfielder Everett Williams is hitting .309. Fuentes is second in the Texas League in both runs scored (23) and steals (12 to teammate Rico Noel’s 19). Right-handed starter Burch Smith is 1-2 with a 1.15 ERA in six starts with 37 strikeouts against six walks in 31 1/3 innings. Right-hander Matt Andriese is 4-0 with a 2.32 ERA in six starts with 31 strikeouts in 31 innings.

High Single-A Lake Elsinore (8-21): Right-hander Matt Wisler suffered his first loss Sunday but still has a 2.03 ERA. Second baseman Cory Spangenberg had a triple and a homer Sunday and is hitting .298 and is tied for the California League lead with teammate Travis Jankowski with 13 steals.

Low Single-A Fort Wayne (16-12): Right-hander Joe Ross is 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA in five starts. Left-hander Max Fried, the Padres No. 1 draft pick last June, has a 3.79 ERA. Walker Weickel has a 4.41 ERA and Zach Eflin has a 5.48 ERA. Left fielder Jeremy Baltz is hitting .270 with four homers and 22 RBI. Second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum is hitting .311 with a .438 on-base percentage.